Mustool X1 600 Amps AC / DC Clamp Meter Review

In this article we will review the Mustool X1 clamp meter, which can measure AC and DC current of up to 600 amps.

A clamp meter can measure current without breaking the circuit. It has jaws which we can open and clamp around an electrical conductor. The current flowing through the conductor generates a magnetic field which is sensed by the clamp meter. Depending on the sensing method, the clamp meter can measure either only AC current or both AC and DC current. In this case, we have a clamp meter capable of measuring both AC and DC current which uses a Hall Effect sensor.

The Mustool X1 clamp meter, along with the capability to measure AC and DC current, is also packed with features a normal multimeter has. It can measure DC and AC voltage, resistance, capacitance, frequency and temperature. Also, it has continuity and diode tester, NCV (non-contact voltage detector) and a square wave generator. All of this, makes the Mustool X1 clamp meter a really good choice for electricians, electronics beginners or DIY enthusiasts. So let’s take a look at it.

Overview

The clamp meter feels quite good and solid in hand, thanks to the fine plastic that is made out of. The test leads are also very good, made out of soft material.

For powering the Mustool X1 we need two AAA 1.5V batteries. The LCD is big enough and has a back light, though it turns off quickly which I found a bit inconvenient. The back light stays on just for 10 seconds, then you have to press the button for turning it on again if you need it.

Measuring Current with the Clamp Meter

For measuring current with the clamp meter, we have to turn the dial to the appropriate position “600A”. This position is both for measuring AC and DC current.

Once we have selected what to measure, we can notice on the display that the meter is showing some arbitrary values although we still haven’t put a wire in the clamp. That’s because, as we said, the clamp meter measures current with the help of magnetic field, and these arbitrary values on the meter are caused by the surrounding magnetic field. Therefore, we need to reset the value to zero by pressing the “REL” button.

Next, we just have to open the jaws and clamp around the wire we want to measure the current.

As an example, I’m measuring the current draw of some LED strips. We can see the current passing through that wire is around 3.2 amps.

We can notice that for measuring current we must clamp only one wire, either the positive or the negative. In case we clamp both wires, the result will be around zero because the current in the two wires will generate opposite magnetic fields which will actually cancel out.

Also, we can notice that this type of clamp meters are suitable for measuring higher currents. Small currents in the area of milliamps or microamps cannot be precisely measured with this meter.

Additional features

As we already said, besides measuring current, the Mustool X1 clamp meter has other features like a normal multimeter has. It’s like 2 in 1, a clamp meter and a multimeter.

We can measure AC and DC voltage, resistance, capacitance, frequency and temperature.

Conclusion

Overall, the Mustool X1 is a good piece of hardware for electronics beginners or DIY enthusiasts. The build quality and the features you are getting with this digital clamp meter is excellent for its price point. You can get the Mustool X1 clamp meter from Banggood, which were kind enough to send me a free example of it so I can make a review.

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